Rose of the Shires Ultra
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Event overview
The Rose of the Shires Ultra is a 54-mile circular ultra marathon around Northamptonshire. The event starts and finishes at Brixworth Country Park (NN6 9DG) and is a registered UTMB Index race in the 100K category. The event includes relay options and a shorter section called the Rosebud Marathon that covers the final 26.2 miles of the route.
- 54 miles - full ultra, circular route at Brixworth Country Park
- 26.2 miles - Rosebud Marathon (last section of the ultra)
- Relay - seven legs: 8.7 / 7.1 / 7.4 / 6.8 / 7.7 / 8 / 8.4 miles
Course details
The route mixes footpaths, country trails, roads and canal towpath: 36.4 miles of cross-country trails, 15.6 miles of roads and 1.8 miles of canal towpath. Total ascent is +2315 ft (+706 m) with equivalent descent. The course follows waymarked lines but requires some navigation and is covered by OS Maps 207, 223 and 224.
Logistics and support
There are six checkpoints about 6-8 miles apart offering water, snacks and Go Beyond fruit cake; progressive cut-offs apply from Checkpoint 3 and the overall cut-off is 13.5 hours. Geo Tracks GPS trackers provide live tracking and act as the relay baton for teams. Trail shoes are advised. Competitors must be over 18 and carry mandatory kit such as a charged mobile phone, minimum 1 litre water capacity, survival blanket, waterproof jacket, whistle, headtorch and spare batteries. Parking is available at the lower meadow car park of Brixworth Country Park. Awards are given for 1st, 2nd and 3rd male and female finishers; all finishers receive a medal and event merchandise. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.